Army firing leaves four girls injured in Shopian, Police says army did not inform about hosting Iftar, assures action

Nissar Shaheen Shah

Srinagar, May 21: At least four girls, two of them sisters, were injured when army allegedly opened fire on people protesting against its move to host an Iftar party at Dreed Kalipora (DK Pora) village of Shopian in south Kashmir on Monday evening.

Official sources told GNS that the incident took place as people objected to army hosting the Iftar party in the village. They said that the army arrived in the village, carrying eatables and other items, prior to Iftar and had erected a mobile tent outside the mosque. The locals asked the army to retrieve as they were already informed by local Auqaf two days ago that holding Iftar in the village would not be good given the high tempers against government forces in the village following recent civilian killings.

“The army had approached local Auqaf two days ago but they were told not to hold any Iftar party,” locals claimed. They said that army arrived with eatables around Iftar and tried to host the Iftar party. The locals asked them to leave but the army resisted. Soon clashes erupted following which army resorted to firing in which four girls suffered injuries. A police official said that police had no information about army hosting Iftar party in the village.

He said that army had proposed to host the Iftar for respectable of the area but some miscreants pelted stones and army fired few aerial shots. In the incident, the officer said that four girls suffered injuries and two of them have bullet wounds and have been hospitalized. The officer said that a case would be registered under relevant sections of law and action as warranted under the law would be taken in the matter.

Two seriously injured girls identified as Aqsa Jan daughter Mohammad Ayoub Magray and Shobi Jan daughter of Abdul Qayoom Hajam (right arm) have been referred to Srinagar for specialized treatment. Shobi has right arm bullet injury.

While as two sisters Shakira Akther (17) suffered injury above the ankle and Shaafi Jan (15) have injuries in right leg daughters of Abdul Hamid Bhat were admitted at PHC Harmain. Meanwhile, a police spokesman in a statement issued here said that today, around the iftaar time, an army patrol of 34 RR had gone to the Jamia masjid of DK Pora village, for participating in iftaar with the locals of the area.

“It is learnt that during the Iftaar, some miscreants pelted on the army . While withdrawing the army party made some Ariel firing. In the process it is learnt tha 4 injuries were reported to different hospitals.All the injured are stated to be stable. Out four injuries one has been discharged from the hospital,” the spokesman said.

The police has taken cognizance of the episode, and started legal proceedings. Army’s defence ministry spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia told GNS that details regarding the incident are being ascertained. He refused to comment further.